lighthall



(No Model.)

A. H. LIGHTHALL.'

RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 553,622. Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

vv. vxf/ Y( d,

nvoM/toz ALMERIN H.L|GHTHALL ANDREW EGRAHAM. PHOT0-UTHO.WASHINGDN. D.C.

Nirnn STATE-s- PATENT GFFICE.

ALMERIN H. LIGHTHALL, OF`NEV YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,622, dated January28, 1896.

' Application iiled April 12,1895. Serial No. 545,518.. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-4

Be it known that LALMERIN H. LIGHTHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Systems;and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the propulsion of cars, and particularly tothe propulsion of street-cars in cities.

The object of the invention is to provide means for propelling carswhich shall be adapted for moving cars at a uniform speed over a trackof varying grades.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide means for propellingcars which shall be adapted for moving cars at a uniform speed over atrack of varying grades by regulating the motive power to exert atdifferent points varying forces, according to the grade or the weight ofthe load.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide means for propellingcars whereby the power employed may be generated at one or at a numberof stations at a uniform pressure and may be distributed at differentpoints at varying pressures to correspond to the requirements on accountof grades, loads, or other conditions.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide means for propellingcars whereby water or other suitable liquid under pressure may be usedwith effectiveness as the means for transmitting power to the cars to bedriven, and in which the various permanent or incidental requirements asto variations of power at different points on a car-line may be compliedwith.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists essentially of meansfor propelling cars, comprising pipes or conduits arranged adjacent tothe path of the cars adapted to contain iiuid under pressure, a partconnected to the car and movable with respect thereto,

and means for directing the fluid against the movable part.

Further, the invention consists of various other novel features anddetails of construction, substantially as hereinafter described, and bywhich the effectiveness of the means is assured.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the .accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a plan view of a section of pipes as arranged in propellingcars according to my system, the pipes being broken between thevalve-chambers to permit of showing a number of these chambers. Fig. 2is a side view showing the arrangement of the main and branch pipes.Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view showing the arrangement of the mainand branch pipes in a conduit below the rails of a track. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view showing the conduit, and also showing therelative positions of the part attached to the car and which receivesthe impact of the water, and the branch pipes through which water isdirected against the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing, on alarge scale, a convenient and effective form of the discharge-nozzlesand the part which depends from the car and receives motion therefrom.Fig. 6 is a view of one of the branch pipes, particularly showing themeans by which the admission of fluid tothe branch pipes is regulated.

In the drawings, A represents the main supply-pipe of the system, whichmay extend the entire length of the road upon which the system isoperated, or may be composed of divisions formed by cocks placed-in thepipe or by separate pipes laid end to end and forming the main supply ofthe system. The main supply-pipes A are connected with pumps placed atsuitable pumpin g-stations arranged a suitable distance apart, and bywhich water or other suitable liquid is forced in to the pipes underpressure. The average distance apart of the pumping-stations will beabout two miles.

The pipes A are placed along the line of the track over which cars areto be propelled in any suitable position to allow ready discharge of theiiuid contained in them against a part ofl thel car, and they arepreferably arranged in the lower part of a conduit, as shown in thedrawings.

At suitable intervals-say of one hundred feet-along the pipes A areconnected branch pipes A' A2, which extend in opposite direc- IOO tionsfrom their points of juncture with the main pipes. Each branch pipe A A2is provided near its point of juncture with the main pipe with ashut-off valve a operated by a rod CL2, having project-ions CL3 aiarranged in line with a projection a5 depending from a car. Thearrangement of the parts is such that as a car approaches a section thevalve is turned to admit the tluid into the branch pipe over which thecar is about to pass, and as a car leaves a section it automaticallycuts off the flow of water through thc branch pipe over which it haspassed.

Each branch pipe is provided with a pressure-regulating cock B, by whichthe pressure of iluid in the branch to which it is applied may beregulated. Ey thus independently regulating` the pressure in each branchpipe the operating-pressure may be obtained at a uniform pressure in themain supply-pipe, and the pressure in each separate branch pipe may beregulated to conform to the requirements arising by reason of grades orloads on the different sections.

The main and branch pipes are preferably arranged along a conduit C, andthis conduit is provided at the points of connection of the branch pipeswith the main pipe with chambers G of a size to give access to thecut-off and pressure valves arranged at those points.

Each of the branch pipes A' A2 is provided' with a series ofdischarge-nozzles A3, through which when the cocks are turned fluidunder pressure is discharged. The nozzles are arranged at angles to thepipes, the direction of the angle of course depending upon the desireddirection of movement of the carsI to be driven.

D is a section al apron depending from a car to be propelled andsustained by an arm d designed to travel in a slot c in the upper wallof the conduit. The apron is composed of two sections pivotallyconnected to the arm el and capable of being moved up and down to bringthem into and out of the line of discharge from the nozzles A3. Themovement up and down of the apron is accomplished through rods d d',pivot-ally connected with the respective sections of the apron andto acollar d2 sliding on the arm CZ, and the arm (Z3 eX- tending to the bodyof the carto be propelled. Each wing or section of the apron is providedwith a series of pockets d", which receive the impact of the fluiddischarged from the branch nozzles.

To provide the necessary volume and pressure of water or other fluidemployed, the same is preferably maintained in the main supplypipes at apressure of about three hundred pounds to the square inch, and thus itwill be seen that by discharging the luid upon the apron an eiiectivemeans for propelling a car to which the apron is attached is provided.The water after being discharged against the aprons falls to the bottomoi' the conduit, whence it is conducted to sewers or the like, or isreturned to the pumping-stations, according to the available supply.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As a means for propelling cars, pipes or conduits arranged adjacentto the path of the cars and adapted to contain iluid under pressure, apart connected to a car and movable with respect thereto, and means fordirecting the iluid against the movable part, substantially asdescribed.

2. As a means for propelling cars, pipes or conduits having dischargenozzles and adapted to contain water under pressure, a hood, apron orthe like depending from a car, and means for moving the hoods, aprons orthc like toward or away from the nozzles, substantially as described.

As a means for propelling cars, pipes or conduits having dischargenozzles and arranged in a conduit having a slot extending along thesame, an arm depending from a car and projecting through the slot, andmovable wings attached to the arm and arranged adjacent to the nozzles,substantially as described.

4. As a means for propelling cars, a main pipe or conduit for containingWater under pressure, branch pipes connected to the main pipe or conduitand each provided with a series of discharge nozzles, a single shut oil?cock arranged at the juncture of the main pipe or conduit and eachbranch pipe, a rod connected to the shut off cock and extending alongthe branch pipe, and a projection from a car adapted to come intocontact with the rod to positively open and close said shut of cock as acar approaches and leaves said branch pipe respectively, substantiallyasdescribed.

,5. As a means for propelling cars a main pipe or conduit for containingwater under pressure, branch pipes attached to the main pipe or conduit,the branch pipes being provided with discharge nozzles, a conduitpurovided with a slot in its upper end, the branch pipes being arrangedin the conduit, and extending parallel and to the slot therein, shutoft' cocks and pressure regulating cocks arranged adjacent to the pointsof juncture of the main pipe or conduit and the branch pipes, rodsconnected to the shut oil cocks, a hood, apron, or the like dependingfrom a car, and movable with respect thereto, and a proj ection from acar engaging the rods attached to the shut off cocks, substantinlly asde scribed.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

ALMERIN II. LIGHTIIALL.

Witnesses z A. LANSING BAIRD, DAVID C. GRANT.

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